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... the only way I would ever go near an Eli Roth movie is this.

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Inglorious Basterds was good, though I guess that wasn't technically an Eli Roth movie. :|

Wikipedia lists Paul Verhoeven's most well-known films as Starship Troopers, Robocop, Total Recall and Basic Instinct. Haven't seen that last one, but I love the others. Whereas I still have trouble dissociating Roman Polanski from his rape of a 13 year old girl. >_> I've probably seen and enjoyed a bunch of his films; and because I like to have faith in humanity, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in believing that he was genuinely sorry and spent decades regretting what he did. But still. That was a lot of harm done to that woman, plus her then having to see so many celebrities defending him.

I'm really not sure Eli Roth can 'pull' a Roman Polanski movie. But I'm willing to be proven wrong, and I guess the cast can help with that ;)

And Santiago looks gorgeous! What a city!

I think it's just acting. Something about the script has tweaked his interest, and hopefully that's good enough for me. The cover of the old version just about made me scream out loud, though.

I really don't see what attracts Keanu to this. :-(

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really don't see what attracts Keanu to this.

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I can think of several reasons - first and foremost it is different. Some movies should make you uncomfortable IMHO it makes you think.

Its a remake though, it will be different. Sit back and enjoy the ride. ;)

This is an exceptionally rare case where I'd ask "what the hell, man?"

It was about the villain forcing people - through extreme measures - to re-evaluate their lives and priorities, and I loved that. I'm not sure if I could watch the actual film though. A few years ago, almost-definitely, but I've since grown older and my stomach weaker. :|

I don't know about the original Death Game and it doesn't sound like something I'd want to watch, but going by the summary alone and the fact that this is a remake, I think I can see some of what attracted Keanu to the project:

Namely, it's about pushing a normal, happy, well-adjusted guy through hell. And maybe he comes out okay. Maybe he finds his strength and survives. I don't know, but it reminds me a lot of what Keanu said about Tiger's journey in Man of Tai Chi: the attempted corruption of the innocent, only for goodness to still prevail. I think there's something about that concept that Keanu likes a lot.

KR had expressed a desire in an interview last year [?] sometime about wanting to maybe do some horror and he has repeatedly stated musical as well.

It isn't for me to second guess. I'll either like it or not. IMHO it sounds like fun. Plus, good actors are always looking for new things, new challenges, doing something unexpected.

This from the Deadline link:

"There is already scrapping going on by foreign sales companies chasing the international rights, and domestic distributors. CAA will be selling the domestic rights with Cassian Elwes and most of the dealmaking will take place in Cannes.

Camp, Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Miguel Asensio, Cassian Elwes and Tim DeGraye are producing, while Teddy Schwarzman, Reeves, Peter Traynor, Larry Spiegel and Sondra Locke are exec producers."

He's on there as executive producer. Would not surprise me if making this will help something else get made.

Maybe worth mentioning that I have still seen far less confirmation of this than I'd expect, and Roth's stated budget of $10 million total and also expectation of being finished for both Toronto and Cannes seem frankly odd. I could, of course, be wrong. Incredible concept, I know.

Mention: no-one said the movie will be ready for Cannes. Roth allegedly said he 'can have this movie ready for Toronto if he needs to'. He also allegedly said "I wanted to make a movie like Roman Polanski or Paul Verhoeven made when they were young, a classic psychosexual thriller that’s not a horror movie, but would have everyone on the edge of their seats."

Anyway, the team that produced and directed the original movie is on board for this... and the article was published on April 4th... so it kinda looks legit.

It is not that I don't trust Keanu's creative choices. Far from it. I am not, however, going to say "doesn't this sound wonderful?!" when I have reservations. If a "real fan" never asks "what the heck?" Well, 20 years plus, I must not be a "real fan." Oh well. Nor am I saying he shouldn't do what he likes, far from it. Merely saying, rather clearly, that I do not want to see him being tormented. Just my personal thing. "Your mileage may vary" as we used to say.

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"Your mileage may vary" as we used to say.

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yes :)